Hood latch



5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Dec., 16, 1958 A. c. LINDNER HOOD LATCH Filed March 16.1954 Dec. 16, 1958 A. C. LINDNER HOOD LATCH Filed March 16. 1954 Dec.16, 1958 A. c. LINDNER 2,864,63

Hoon LATCH Filed March 16. 1954 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 y! @17H/@Mawr dam, Cf Lind/7er @y JDar/'e/' (laffe/4 Dec. 16, 1958 A. c. LINDNER 2,864,635

HOOD LATCH Filed March 16. 1954 5 Sheets-Shee1f4 T??Uen for agde/rzGlind/Her Dec. 16, 1958 A. c. LINDNER 2,864,635

HOOD LATCH Filed MaIGh 16. 1954 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 W I 'l /YJ J gf ma 2025 2525 .99 s :im

71 vez? for ,daffz C l naine/ y Par/rer 7a/fier United States cljatentHOOD LATCH Adam C. Lindner, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Chicago Forgingand Manufacturing Company, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of DelawareApplication March 16, 1954, Serial No. 416,544

1 Claim. (Cl. 292-12) This invention relates to an improvement inlatching or locking means and has for one object a latch mechanismuseable with automobiles.

Another purpose is to provide a hood latch which may be applied toalligator-type automobile hood closures.

Another purpose is to provide a hood latch whereby a hood closure may besecured to a hood at a variety of positions of the hood closure inrelation to the hood.

Another purpose is to provide a hood latch assembly which shall besimple in construction and economical to manufacture.

Other purposes will appear from time to time in the course of thespecication and drawing.

The invention is illustrated more or less diagrammatically in theaccompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side view, in partial cross-section of the invention asinstalled, for example, in a hood closure and hood of an automobile.

Figure 2 is a side view, in partial cross-section, and on an enlargedscale.

Figure 3 is a view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a view taken on a line 4 4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a detail view, in partial cross-section, of the latchingmechanism illustrated in Figure 3 and showing the parts in latchingposition.

Figure 6 is a view similar to that of Figure 5, showing the parts inunlatched position;

Figure 7 is a view taken on line 7-7 of Figure 5 Figure 8 is a sideview, in partial cross-section, and illustrating the invention asinstalled, for example, on the hood closure and hood of an automobile,the elements of the invention being reversed from the position shown inFigure 1; and

Figure 9 is a detail view illustrating a variant form of a part of myinvention.

Like parts are indicated by like symbols throughout the specificationand drawings.

Referring to Figure 1, a hood or forward portion of an automobile isgenerally indicated at 1. vA hood closure is generally indicated at 2.alligator-type hood referred to above is of the type which may begenerally pivoted or hinged, for example, as illustrated at 3 in Figurel. A spring or similar means (not shown) may be associated with the hood1 and closure 2 adjacent pivot point 3 to aid in raising the closure andseparating the below-described keeper and latch assemblies.

Referring now to Figure 2, the numeral 5 indicates a plate or similarmember which may be secured or may be a part of the hood closure 2.Plate 5 carries a keeper member 6. Surrounding the keeper 6 is aspring 8which may be held in position by a top cage member 9 secured or clampedagainst plate 5 as by the nut and bolt connection 10, and a bottom cagemember 11. The cage member 11 has an inwardly bent wall portion 12 whichgenerally surrounds and is adjacent to the keeper 6.

The keeper 6, which may be cylindrical in cross-section, has a ring 13secured in a generally circumferential It will be understood that the p2,864,635 Patented Dec.l 16A, 1958 ice groove 14 therein at a pointspaced from the plate 5. As best seen in Figure 3, the ring 13 extendsoutwardly from the keeper 6 a sucient distance to be contacted by theinwardly otlset portion 12 and thus to retain the cage member 11 inposition on the keeper 6 when the hood closure is separated from thehood. The ring 13 maybe of the type generally known as a split ring. Itwill be realized that the ring 13 could be positionedjat a variety ofpoints on the keeper 6. While I prefer the relationship of the parts asshown, the keeper 6 be of lesser extension, or the ring 13 could bepositioned at a point closer to the keeper tip 15 to permit the keeperto retract entirely into the cage 11 upon release, if desired. Theprovision of a cylindrical rod-like, parallel-sided keeper escapes thenecessity of forming an enlargement thereon as required in priorblade-type latches. The keeper may be quickly assembled by sliding thespring 8 and cup 11 thereon and thereafter setting the ring 13 in thegroove 14. The cup and spring may be similarly removed and replacedwithout separating the keeper from the plate 9.

The keeper 6, as above described, may be circular yin cross-section andmay be o-f substantial'linear extension. It may have the pointed orconical outer end 15 and may be secured to the top spring retainingmember 9 as by the bolt or rivet 16.

The hood, which may have secured thereto a latch plate 20, may havegenerally centrally located thereon an aperture 21. The aperture 21 maybe surrounded by ka generally upwardly offset and downwardly inwardlybent portion 22 of the plate 20. As best seen from a view of Figures 3,5 and 7, the upset portion 22 of the plate 20 may have its innerportions formed in one manner, asin Figure 3, adjacent the sides of theaperture 21 and may have them formed in a different manner, as seen inFigure 5, adjacent the forward and aft edges of the aperture 21,considering the parts as illustrated in the drawings. Thus, while theaperture 21 may be generally circular, the plate portion 22 may form thegenerally elongated guide for the keeper 6, as best seen in Figure 7. i

Secured to the plate 20, as by the rivet connections 25, and for exampleto the bottom face of plate 20, is a latch housing member generallyindicated at 26. The bracket member 26 may have the outwardly oppositelydisposed attaching flanges 27, 28 through which the rivet connections 25may extend. As best seen in Figures 3 and 7 the flanges 27, 28 extend toeither side of the aperture 21. The ange 28 may have the downwardly,generally vertically depending side wall or plate portion29.

The housing 26 may have downwardly depending from the flanges 27, 28 apair of generally vertical side walls 30, 31 which may in turn carry thegenerally horizontally disposed bottom wall 32 which is disposedgenerally beneath and spaced from the aperture 21. The bottom wall 32has the aperture 33 therein, the aperture 33 being somewhat larger thanthe aperture 21 and generally axially in alignment therewith. The bottomwall 32 may have a downwardly bent portion 34 surrounding the aperture33. The horizontal bottom wall 32 may have upwardly bent portions 35, 36along its side edges, as best illus trated in Figures 5 and 6.

It will be observed that the upset portions 22 ofy the plate 20, thesidewalls 26, 31, 35 and 36 and the bottom Wall 32 together form aretaining and positioning cage for a ring 40. The ring 40 may have agenerally vertical outer circumferential face 41 and an inwardlyupwardly conical circumferential wall 42.

Arranged for positioning and slideable movement within the aperture 33is the generally cylindrical hollow sleeve member generally indicated at45. The sleeve 45 has the generally cylindrical side wall 46. The Wall46 has adjacent its upper end a generally annular inwardly bent angeportion 47, the inner end of which defines an opening or aperture 48 ofsufficient diameter to permit the passage therethrough of the keeper 6.The generally cylindrical wall 46 has a series of circumferentiallyspaced apertures 50 adjacent its upper edges. The Wall 46 has itsgenerally inwardly conical edges 51 surrounding the aperture 50,

As best seen in Figures 3, 5 and 6 the upper portion of the cylindricalwall 46, which` extends upwardly through the aperture 33 and istherefore positioned between the ,plate and the bottom wall 32 of thehousing 26. forms with the ring a case for a plurality of balls 69. Theaperture is of less diameter than the balls 60 but of sufficientdiameter to permit a portion of the balls to extend inwardly toward theaxis of the hollow sleeve ,While I illustrate three apertures50 in thesleeve 45, it will be realized that the number of such apertures may bevaried without departing from the nature and scope of my invention. Themembers 46, 50, 60 and 40 form, in efect,.a race of balls. As best seenin Figure 6 the balls '60 are of a diameter sufficient to permit theballs 60 to be in 'contact with the inwardly upwardly conical innercircumferential wall 42 of the ring 40. When the keeper 6 is separatedfrom the latching assembly the sleeve 45 will have been temporarilyforced downwardly as below described. The balls V60, however, since theyextend outwardly from the sleeve 45, are thereby brought to rest uponthe bottom wall 32 and thus serve to retain the sleeve 45 in position inthe aperture 33.

The wall 46 of the sleeve 45 carries adjacent its bottom l edge thegenerally annular outwardly extending flange 65. Referring now to Figure4, the downwardly depending plate portion 29 may have pivoted thereon,as at 66, a latch releasing member 67. The member 67 may have a pair ofarms 68, 69 which may, in turn, carry the vertically extending portions70, 71. The portions 70, 71 may have, respectively, the grooves 72, 73adapted'to receive portions of the flange and to form an actuatingconnection thereby between the releasing member 67 and the sleeve 45. Itwill be observed that the grooves 72, 73 constitute with the flange 65 alost-motion connection with the sleeve 45. The member 67 carries anabutment 75 which extends beyond the pivot 66 and which may be bent atright angles to provide a portion extending beyond the outer face of theplate portion 29 as indicated in the lower right-hand corner of Figure4. Yielding means, such as at spring 80, may be secured to the plate 29as at 81 and to a downwardly depending ear 82 on the releasing member67. As best seen in Figure 2 the spring is effective to urge the arms68, 69 upwardly and thus to urge the balls 60 upwardly along the innerwall 42 of the ring 40 which, since the sleeve 45 rises generallyvertically, cause the balls 60 to move inwardly toward the axis of thesleeve 45. Thus when a part of the circular portion of the keeper 6-isin general horizontal alignment with the balls 60, the keeper 6 will begripped "by the balls and thereby held in position. ln this regard itwill be observed that the spring 8, since it has been compressed betweenthe plate 5 and the` plate 20, is thus adapted to urge the keeper 6upwardly through the `apertures 48 and 21. Since such upward movement ofthe keeper 6 would tend to carry the balls 60 further upwardly along thewall 42 of the ring 40 and thus to force the balls inwardly against thekeeper 6, it is seen that the spring 8 contributes alsoto the locking orholding action of the balls 60 against the keeper 6.

Referring now to Figures 2 and 3, it will be observed that the plate 29carries a type of stub shaft 90. Rotatably or pivotally mounted on theshaft `is a safety latch and latch operating lever generally indicatedat 91. The lever 91 may have a manually operable grip portion 92adjacent the forwardly extending, as the parts are shown in thedrawings, end of an arm 93. As best seen in Figure l, the` arm 93extends a sucient distance to place the grip` 92 in position to begrasped by the operator from outside and infront of the hood r1. As bestseen in Figure 4, the arm 93 underlies the abutment 75 on the latchreleasing arm 67. The member 91 has the arm 95 which extends beyond thepivot point 90 in a direction generally opposite from the arm 93. Thearm 95 may have secured thereto yielding means such as at spring 96. Thespring 96 has its opposite end secured to an upper portion of the plate29 as at 97. As best seen in Figure 2 the spring 96 is thus adapted tourge the arm 93 downwardly out of contact and spaced from the abutment75. The member 91 may have the generally upwardly directed safety latcharm 98 which may extend through a slot 99 in the plate 20, the slot 99being of sucient linear extension to permit the safety latch arm 98 tomove therethrough, the edges of the slot 99, however, serving to act aslimits for the movement of the arm 98 and since the arm 98 is rotatablewith the operating arm 93, the edges of the slot 99 serve to limit alsothe movement of the arm 93. The arm 98 carries adjacent its upper end ahook or a safety latch portion 100. As best seen in Figures l and 2, thehood closure 2 may carry a generally inclined member 101. It will beobserved that the safety latch hook `portion 100 is generally downwardlycurved along its upper forward edge. Thus the member 101, as the hoodclosure approaches the hood, will ride along the curved upper edge ofthe member 100 and thus will force it out of position, since the member101 is arranged for a general vertical alignment with the member 100when the member 100 is held in its forward position under the influenceof the spring 96. After the member 101 has passed beyond the member 100,the spring 96 causes the member 100 to move forward and thereafter toover-lie the member 101, as best seen in Figure 2.

In the variant form of my invention illustrated in Figure 8, the keeperplunger assembly is positioned on the hood, generally indicated at 1a,and the latching assembly is positioned on the hood closure generallyindicated as 2a, that is to say, the two major assemblies of thestructure of my invention are reversed in location. It will be observed,however, that all of the parts above described are essentially the same,with the exception of the latch operating and safety member 91, thevariant form of which is generally indicated at 91a in the variant formof Figure 8. The safety latch portion generally indicated at 98a and100e and the hook member cooperating therewith, generally indicated at101a are essentially similar to that described in relation to Figuresl-7. The forwardly extending arm 93 of Figures l-7, however, has beenelongated and generally downwardly bent, as illustrated in Figure 8 asat 93a in order to place the hand-gripped portion 92a in the generalposition occupied by the grip 92 of the structure illustrated in Figuresl-7. A spring 96a, having the function of the spring 96 of the earlierfigures may be secured at one end to the plate 20 as at 97a and may besecured at its opposite end to a generally horizontal portion of the arm93a asv at 105. The member 91a has an extension arm 95a extending beyondthe pivot 90a a sufficient distance to over-lie an abutment 7541 whichcorresponds to the abutment 75 of Figures 1-7. It will be seen thatforward movement of the arm 93a, as shown in dotted lines in Figure 8,causes the safety latch 100a to move forward or to the left as the partsare shown in Figure 8 and thus out of alignment with the hook 101e. Aforward movement of the arm 93a causes also a downward movement, asindicated in dotted lines, of the arm 95a.

In the variant form of keeper mechanism illustrated in Figure 9, thespring 8, cup 11, and ring 13 are eliminated and the cylindrical keeperrod 6a is similar to the keeper 6, illustrated in the earlier figures.It will be understood that many of the hood closures presently in useare provided with means separate from the latch mechanism, which areeffective to urge the closure lpward or toward open position. Since thekeeper illustrated herein does not have an enlarged or hook portionwhich must be held iirmly against, for example, a latch bolt in order toprevent vibration and catching beneath the latch plate itself, it isfeasible, in certain cases, to eliminate the elements 8, 11, and 13without atfecting the efficiency of my device.

It will -be realized that whereas I have described and shown a practicaland operative device, nevertheless many changes may be made in size,shape, number and disposition of p-arts without departing from thespirit of my invention. I therefore wish my description and drawings tobe taken as in a broad sense illustrative or diagrammatic rather than aslimiting -rne to my precise showing herein.

The use and operation of my invention are as follows:

I provide a hood latch assembly which is particularly free of the needfor precise adjustments. A simple cylindrical keeper 6 may be utilizedand the hood closure 2 may be held in a variety of positions by thelatching balls 60. As the hood closure 2 approaches the hood 1 theconical end 15 of the keeper 6 is brought into general alignment withthe aperture 21 in the plate 20. If the keeper is not in precisealignment with the aperture 21, fore and aft, the end 15 of the keeper 6will ride along the inwardly and downwardly inclined walls of the upsetportion 22 and thus the circular or body portion of the keeper 6 will,when it reaches the aperture 21, be in alignment therewith. The keeper 6is free to move through the aperture 21- and the sleeve 45, whateverdistance is necessary to bring the hood closure 2 into desired positionon the hood 1. Undesired upward movement thereafter of the keeper 6tends to pinch the balls 60 between the keeper 6 and the upwardlyinwardly inclined wall 42 of the ring 40 and thus tends to grip thekeeper 6 even tighter in position.

The sleeve 45 is, in fact, a ball-retaining and ballactuating member,When the operator desires to release the latch in order to separate thehood closure 2 and the hood 1 he need only grasp the portion 92 of theoperating lever and safety latch 91 and move it generally upward. Asillustrated in dotted lines in Figure 2 the arm 93 may be raisedupwardly a distance suflicient to cause rotation of the safety latch arm98 and hook 100 out of latching engagement with the portion 101 beforethe arm 93 is brought into contact with the abutment 75. Continuedupward movement of the arm 93, after the safety latch has been moved outof latching position, causes the arm 93 to carry the abutment 75 upwardwith it. Upward movement of the portion 75 causes a correspondingdownward movement of the arms 68, 69 and thus a downward movement of thesleeve 45, which is operatively connected therewith. As the sleeve orball cage member 65 is thus moved downwardly it carries with it theballs 60. After the balls 60 are brought downwardly along the downwardlyoutwardly inclined wall 42 of the ring 40, the balls 60 are thus freedof pressure against the keeper 6 and are generally loosely held, asindicated in Figure 6, by the sleeve 45, the bottom wall 32 and the ring40. Having been released of the pressure of the balls, the keeper 6 isfree to move, under the inuence of the spring 8 upwardly through andoutwardly from the aperture 21 in the plate 20. When the operatorreleases upward pressure on the arm 93 the spring 96 is effective tourge the arm 93 downwardly and the safety latch 98, 100 forwardly intolatching position and the spring 80 is effective to urge the arms 68, 69upwardly, which, in turn, carry the sleeve 45 upwardly into latchingposition once more.

The operation of the form illustrated in Figure 8 is essentially thatdescribed above.

I claim:

In a hood latch for yautomobiles and the like, a keeper rod, a latchingstructure for said rod comprising a latch plate, a generally U-shapedbracket secured to said latch plate and having a bottom wall spaced fromand parallel with said plate, said bracket and said plate togetherforming a housing, a pair of axially aligned apertures, one in saidplate and one in said bottom wall, a ring member in axial alignment withsaid apertures and enclosed in and positioned by said housing, said ringmember having its upper edge in contact with said plate and its loweredge in contact with said bottom wall, a generally cylindrical hollowsleeve movably mounted in said bottom wall aperture and having an endportion positioned within said housing, said sleeve being in axialalignment with said plate and bottom wall apertures, lateral aperturesin said sleeve end portion, a ball positioned in each of said sleeveapertures and having a major portion extending outside said sleeve andin contact with the inner wall of said ring, said inner ring wall beinggenerally frusto-conical and converging toward said plate aperture, theleast radius of said inner ring wall being less than the combined lengthof the radius of said rod and the diameter of said ball, the diameter ofsaid bottom wall aperture being only slightly greater than the outsidediameter of said sleeve whereby said outwardly extending ball portionsare in position to contact said bott-om wall adjacent said bottom wallaperture to limit the outward movement of said sleeve from said housing,and means for moving said sleeve comprising a safety latch pivotallysecured to said plate, said safety latch having a hook portion extendingbeyond said plate and positioned to limit the movement away from saidplate of the member to which said keeper rod is secured, said safetylatch having a manually operable handle lever having a lost-motionconnection at one end with said sleeve, said second lever having anabutment portion at its opposite end, said second lever being pivotallysupported intermediate its ends from said plate, said abutment portionbeing positioned to be contacted by said safety latch handle lever whensaid safety latch is moved toward unlatched position and to be movedthereby in a direction to urge said sleeve outwardly from said housing.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,733,108 Bienaime Oct. 29, 1929 2,193,132 Hynes Mar. 12, 1940 2,211,217Peterson Aug. 13, 1940 2,227,144 Krause Dec. 31, 1940 2,246,794 DallJune 24, 1941 2,275,740 DeOrlow Mar. 10, 1942 2,286,736 Hill June 16,1942 2,302,957 Rhodes Nov. 24, 1942 2,333,465 Claud-Mantle Nov. 2, 19432,356,403 Heidman Aug. 22, 1944 2,558,959 Jandus July 3, 1951 2,567,662Claud-Mantle Sept. 11, 1951 2,593,662 Dickinson Apr. 22, 1952 2,709,101Dickinson May 24, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS 229,052 Great Britain Feb. 19,1925 700,057 France Feb. 24, 1931

